Celebrities, sporting identities pay tribute to Dean Mercer

UPDATE 2.30PM: Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club president Steve Wieland says Dean Mercer left an incredible legacy after just a year spent competing with the club.

Mr Mercer, 47, died this morning after suffering a heart attack and crashing his car on the Gold Coast.

The champion lifesaver's death sparked an outpouring of emotion from many.

Mr Wieland said Mr Mercer had brought a fiercely competitive spirit to the club, and his legacy had lived on in the club's culture, after Mr Mercer's year spent with the club in 2000, during which he was part of the World Championship winning team at Manly Beach.

LEGEND: Dean Mercer.Getty Images

"He was just a fierce competitor. A natural competitor, but also fierce," Mr Wieland said.

Mr Mercer spent eight years at the Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club, from 2000-2008, winning four Australian titles.

The ABC has reported the Mercer family released a statement following Mr Mercer's death this morning.

"It is with great sadness and grief that we advise that our beloved Dean - loving husband of Reen and devoted father to their four boys Brayden, 13, Rory, 11, Lachlan, 9, and Joshua, 6, passed away earlier today," the statement said.

"You can only imagine the grief surrounding the Mercer family at this time."

It was reported Mr Mercer had been returning home from an early morning training session at Kurrawa Surf Club and was heading to do some grocery shopping when he suffered a heart attack behind the wheel and crashed his car through the fence of a Mermaid Waters property.